The Health Center Program launched the Diabetes Quality Improvement (QI) Initiative to help patients control their diabetes.
Diabetes poses a unique challenge for the HRSA Health Center Program. One of seven patients has diabetes. And nearly one in three of those has uncontrolled diabetes.1
Patients with a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at 9% or above (uncontrolled) are more likely to experience health complications.
Our Diabetes Quality Improvement (QI) Initiative provides resources from health centers and HRSA technical assistance and training partners.
Operational Site Visits (OSV)
Health center operational site visits (OSVs) now include diabetes performance improvement. During a site visit, HRSA analyzes the factors that affect diabetes clinical delivery and patient outcomes.
From 2018-2020, our goal is for all health centers to have a diabetes action plan.
- Site Visit Protocol Performance Analysis Section
- The OSV: Answers to commonly asked questions (Video)
- Diabetes Action Plan User Guide
- Diabetes Action Plan EHBs Tutorial (Video)
On-site Technical Assistance (TA)
Each year, we randomly select approximately 50 health centers to receive diabetes TA. These centers:
- don’t have a scheduled OSV; and
- are in the fourth quartile for the uncontrolled diabetes UDS measure
We want to help these health centers improve their UDS controlled diabetes measure. The visit occurs over one and a half days. Our consultants and health center staff review their clinical program and plan activities with a focus on diabetes. They look for barriers to improvement, develop a diabetes action plan, and provide additional help.
1 2018 Uniform Data System (UDS)